ABOUT

LYON’s sweet, distinctive voice may sound familiar. It could be from her vocal feature on Wolf Saga’s cover of The Strokes “You Only Live Once” which hit #1 on Hype Machine twice in late 2014 amassing over 740k plays. It may be from her 2013 EP and single “Indian Summer”which hit #1 on M3’s Top-20 and #3 on CBC Radio 3’s Top 30. Or maybe it’s from the single “Heartbeat” which was prominently featured in NBC’s primetime show “Heartbeat” earlier in 2016.

If LYON’s voice isn’t familiar, it will be soon. The Toronto-born, LA-based indie pop songstress releases her new EP “Falling Up” via Black Box. The EP blends the familiar LYON sound with a newfound sense of edge and adventure.

It started with a car crash; spinning out on black ice north of Toronto in March of 2015. Though she didn’t know it yet, LYON’s next chapter “Falling Up” was about to begin.

“Memories are flashing at the speed of light, blurring all the lines between what's wrong and right / maybe I'm afraid to see the other side…” (“falling up”)

Following the crash, and after some persuasion, LYON the musical moniker of Toronto’s Lauren Malyon, caught a redeye for her first writing trip to Los Angeles. Her world was immediately turned upside down, as she discovered a beautiful and creative place that until that moment she thought existed only in the movies.

“Time stands still - hold on to this feeling”. (“silverlight”)

Sunshine and palm trees lifted her spirits. She knew LA was a bit of a dream, but she craved being in the light and wanted to stay blissfully out of touch from her totalled car and struggles with a past relationship that she had left behind.

“Silver and gold drawing me in, hide it behind the smoke and mirrors / hungry for you, with just a taste, you give me something to believe in”. (“lie to me”)

In Los Angeles, LYON found musical solace. After an incredible time of renewed inspiration and writing with new collaborators Lisa Scinta, Joey Resly, FANN and xSDTRK, and multiple trips back to LA to continue developing these songs, she was left with the framework of something very special. Something that would keep her on a crazy high that she would lay awake at night with her head on the pillow, singing the new songs and dreaming with her eyes open about all of the possibilities.

This body of work – the product of so many daydreams, fateful encounters and fruitful collaborations – is now a seven song EP, appropriately titled “Falling Up” named after the song written on the first day she arrived in LA. The first single and video,“bodytalk”, are strong visual and sonic representations of the dynamic production and aesthetic landscape LYON envisions for herself on “Falling Up”.

Lauren grew up playing violin from the age of 3 and piano from the age of 6. She attributes her ear for melodic sensibility and perfect pitch to this early exposure to music. She studied intensely well into her teens, when she completed her highest classical music exams and played in orchestra and chamber music groups. When she was supposed to be practicing, she would often sit at the piano and write original pop songs, the earliest incarnation of what would become LYON.

Lauren spent a few years developing her pop sensibilities and taste, drawing influence from the likes of Fleetwood Mac, The Cure, Tears for Fears and her all time favourite, Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”. Those 80’s classics mixed with fun pop songs from her formative years (Spice Girls amongst others) have informed her sound in a way she’s very proud of.

Over the last two years, LYON developed her live show with incredibly talented band mates Michelle Odorico, Dan Saitua (Young Empires), Gary Rugala, and Michael James Taylor (The Junction), sharing the stage with the likes of Capital Cities, USS, Chantal Kreviazuk, Brave Shores, Ria Mae, Coleman Hell, Diana and Phildel to name a few.

LYON is emotive and resilient. She yearns to help people engage with their feelings in deep and meaningful ways. She explores genuine human connections through her song and hopes to continue that by sharing the “Falling Up” EP with the world.